The present invention relates to a connector and a battery charger, and more particularly to a connector to be connected to a battery pack so as to charge the battery pack for a lap-top personal computer, etc., as well as a battery charger equipped with the connector.
Portable computers, such as a notebook personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a lap-top PC), etc., which are typically configured to be compact and lightweight for portability, are often provided with a removable packaged battery (hereinafter, referred to as a battery pack).
Generally, the size and/or the shape of such a battery pack is determined by the dimensional size, inner layout, mounted battery position, etc. of the subject lap-top PC and may therefore be different from each other among PC types. In addition, the battery communication method and the battery connector for electrical connection are also often different from each other among battery pack types. Consequently, each of these conventional battery packs has required a dedicated battery charger.
For example, a lap-top PC line-up may have 5 types of battery packs prepared for 11 PC types and 5 types of battery chargers are supplied to cope with the diversified battery packs.
In recent years, however, model-change cycles of those lap-top PCs are getting shorter and shorter in order to supply higher performance and lower price PCs in a timely manner to markets where the competition is becoming more and more severe. On the other hand, the line-ups of these lap-top PCs are often stepped up in order to meet diversified needs, resulting in an increase in the variety of machine types.
Consequently, it is a heavy burden for the manufacturers to develop a new battery pack and supply a corresponding battery charger for the battery pack each time a new machine type goes on sale, for reducing time taken to develop a new machine type and cutting the price.
On the other hand, for a user who has a plurality of types of such lap-top PCs, it is inconvenient and wasteful to purchase a battery charger for each of those PCs.
In order to overcome the dissatisfaction amongst users, the inventors of the present invention have developed a new battery charger usable commonly for each battery of lap-top PCs in new line-ups by enabling both battery communication method and battery connector to become common among them.
However, the development of such a battery charger has been confronted with a problem associated with the connection between the connector of the charger and the battery connector of the battery pack.
Because the connector of the battery charger in each conventional battery pack can be manufactured independently according to the specific shape and installation place of the battery connector, the connection structure of the connector can be designed very freely, so that it has been easy to design the connector so as to maintain the connection state favorably.
Consequently, for example, the connection between these two connectors can be surely prevented from disconnection even when the battery pack or charger receives a vibration and/or shock during charging.
For the new battery pack of the present invention, however, a new structure must be designed so as to maintain the connection state favorably, since the mounting position differs slightly from each other among shapes of battery packs although the battery connector has been successfully usable commonly among all the lap-top PCs.
Under such circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector that enables the connection state to be maintained favorably for each battery pack whose battery connector is attached differently from others and prevented from unexpected disconnection, as well as a battery charger that employs such the connector.
In order to achieve the above object, the connector of the present invention provides a latching member protruding from the connector body to be engaged with the engaging member located at the connection portion when its connection portion is connected to the battery connector located at the connection portion of the subject battery pack. At the same time, while at least in this connection state, the pinching member of the connector comes in contact with the battery pack, thereby pinching the battery connector between itself and the latching member so as to maintain the connection portion connected electrically to the battery connector.
In particular, the connector maintains the connection state favorably due to an engaging force of the latching member engaged with the connection portion and a pinching force for enabling the battery connector to be pinched between the latching member and the pinching member. Consequently, for example, the connection state can be maintained due to a resisting force generated by those two forces even when a drawing force works at the connection portion in the opposite direction of the connecting direction.
This is also true in a case in which a rotating force works at the connection portion; the pinching force generated by the latching member and the pinching member works as a high resistance to the rotation moment of the connector, therefore the connector is prevented from disconnection from the battery pack.
Furthermore, because the battery connector is pinched between the latching member and the pinching member, it is possible to eliminate a difference of the attaching size between the battery pack and the position of the attached battery connector by extending or shortening space between the latching member and the pinching member even when, for example, the attached position of the battery connector in the thick direction of the battery pack differs slightly from each other among battery pack types. Consequently, the connector of the present invention can be connected favorably to any battery packs that are different from each another in the positions of attached battery connectors.
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to assure the favorable connection state of the battery pack whose position for attaching the battery connector is different from others and prevent easily from disconnection from the battery pack even when a drawing force or rotating force works at the connector.
The pinching member may be longer than the protrusion length of the latching member protruding from the connector body.
Further, because the latching member must be engaged with the engaging member of the connection portion, the size and protruded length of the latching member is limited by the shape, etc. of the connection portion of the battery pack. On the other hand, the pinching member is not limited by the shape, etc. of the connection portion of the battery pack, since it is just required to come in contact with the battery pack and work to pinch the battery connector between itself and the latching member.
Consequently, the length of the pinching member is variable. In case the pinching member is set longer than the protruded length of the latching member, when a rotating force is applied to the connector, the pinching member can generate a larger resisting force, thereby preventing the connector from disconnection more effectively.
Furthermore, because it is possible to guide the connection portion of the connector to the battery connector while the pinching member slides on the outer surface of the battery pack, the connector can be connected to the battery pack more easily.
The pinching member may be a cantilivered plate piece made of synthetic resin and may be bent so that its free end is positioned nearer to the latching member than the fixed end while it is in the free state.
The pinching member, in case it is an open-side plate piece made of synthesized resin, can be changed in elasticity, so that the battery connector can be pinched between itself and the latching member. In addition, because it is easy to manufacture the pinching member, its price can be reduced.
Furthermore, in case the plate piece is bent and its free end (tip) is positioned nearer to the latching member side than the fixed end (datum end), the pinching member can be changed more largely when the battery connector is pinched between itself and the latching member, thereby improving the pinching force more.
Furthermore, this plate piece may have a metallic plate spring formed by insert-molding.
In case the plate piece and such a metallic plate spring as a plate spring made of a SUS material or the like are formed together by insert-molding, the strength and durability of the plate piece can be improved more. Consequently, for example, in case the plate piece is put in contact with the bottom of the battery pack, the plate piece is not deformed so easily even when it is pressed by the tare weight of the battery pack. And, the plate piece can keep its rigidity so as to be prevented from deterioration of the pinching force even when it is warmed by a heat generated from the battery pack during charging.
Furthermore, because this plate spring is formed by insert-molding, that is, structured so as to be covered with synthesized resin and not to be exposed to external, the battery pack is prevented from such damages as scratches and dents caused by direct touches of something on the outer surface thereof nor causes user""s hands to be injured by touching the battery pack.
Because the plate spring is just required not to be exposed at a place where it comes in contact with the periphery of the plate piece and the battery pack, it may be required just to cover the periphery of the plate piece and the contact portion.
Furthermore, an elastic member made of a polymeric material may be fixed at the free end side of the plate piece.
In a case such an elastic member made of a polymeric material, for example, synthetic rubber or the like, is fixed at the free end side of the plate piece, the elastic member comes in contact with the battery pack while the connector is connected to the battery pack, thereby the elastic member generates a large frictional force and prevents the plate piece from slipping and the battery pack from such damages as scratches and dents more effectively.
The battery charger of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises the above described connector.